The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-12-17
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
THE BELT AGAIN.
A Plain Talk with the People What An
nexation Will Do-Fine Pickings
Ahead for Somebody.
THIRD DIsrRrcr, BALTIMORE County,,

THIRD DISTRICT, BALTIMORE COUNTY,
December 18th, 1887.
Messrs. Editors do the citizens Of Baltimore
county outside of the Belt and particularly those
engaged in farming, who compose large body of
the taxpayers of the county and who are men Of
intelligence and education, intend to remain per-
fectly Indifferent to whether the Belt goes out
or remains as it is? Is the Belt, which pays at
lest two-thirds of the whole tax levy of Baltimore
county, of little consequence in their eyes that
it has become an incubus or eye-sore at this late
day? If this be the case do you candidly believe
that you are doing yourselves justice, and is it to
your monied interest to surrender the most valua-
BILE tax-paying part of your county over to the
city without taking any concerted action as body
at called meeting to give expression as to its adj
visibility or not? Do you think Baltimore coun-
ty taxes, with the Belt Topped of, would continue
as they are at go cents? Has not the Belt been
the means Of keeping your tax rate down to the
third if not the second county out of the twenty
four in the Slater The tax rate Of Hartford coun-
ty in 1886 was S1.00. Do you think yours would
very likely be any less minus the Belt? Would
it be possible to the county at that rate 60 cts
if the heads of every of the political syndicate
who hold office at Towsontown and who run the
county were to be decapitated? I think not.
These are questions for you to ponder over and
weigh well in your mind as to what is your duty
under the circumstances.
If you have ever looked over and examined
carefully the annual printed list of the current
penses of Baltimore county and see where the
money goes you will find that the Belt does not
get the lions share in the distribution, though
contributes considerably more than its share
1t is not requisite for to point this out in this
article as to the amount received by the outlying
districts, as every one who takes any interest in
the questions at issue between the Belt and out
lying districts do hy rafarrinG tn tho annual
statement of county expenses. Inc main question
TN. os& IS Ro1 in
one of two things, viz: Is it to your interest to
surrender that part of your county to Baltimore
city, called the Belt, and form new boundary
line and continue as Baltimore county as if the
Belt never existed, or would it not be more to
your interests in every respect, morally. pecunia-
riy socially and politically for the city to take in
the whole county? These are questions for you
to consider and answer. If you do not want the
Belt say so. Knowing then how you stand her
citizens will act best suits their interests We
know there is diversity of opinion widespread
all over the county on this question, and the
sooner we can all come to some understanding the
better it will be for all hands, and not wait until
it is too late. His Honor, Gen. F. G. Latrobe--
the best Mayor in my time that Baltimore has
ever had, Tom Swami, his father-in-law, not ex-
cepted-has already taken up the initiative steps
looking to this important measure and intends to
push it ahead, as was clearly shown at the meet
ing held at the City Hall last Saturday. The
question most likely to stir up the political ele-
ment, as stated at the meeting, and cause trouble
in the wigwam, was the loss of one delegate in
the county should the population remaining out
side of the Belt in of annexation not come up
to the constitutional provso of 5000 inhabitants
in Baltimore county. Should this occur Balti-
more county would lose one out of her six dele
gates and Baltimore city one in each of her
three legislative districts leaving five in the
county and fifteen in the city. 1t is not likely
that Baltimore county would submit to this, and
you may rest assured the bosses in the city never
would. The city cannot afford to lose three of her
delegates any more so than the county her ONE
She needs all she can get (the city, and would
never submit to the curtailment in the number of
her able, influential and dsinterested citizens who
have been sent there by their constituents to look
after the interests of the city and the grand
mothers fund" How much would annexation
add to this fund? There millions in it, as re-
port says, already. Has the disinterested polit-
cal contractor been mapping out and figuring up
the costs of widening, extending, grading, paving,
&C., of one or more of the leading streets extend
ing from the boundary to the Park? Do not be
in q hurry or count your chickens before they are
Matched, my friends When we hear from Mr..
Carriers bill we can then be better able to form
our opinion as to annexation or not. There are
other questions of great Importance to the citizens
of the Belt besides the of half the city tax rate
as stated in both bills, by Mr.. Carter and the
other by the Citizens Association of the Belt,
some few years ago. How about the assessment
for the condemning, opening, grading, curbing
and paving of streets in the Belt. Give US some
light on this question. We know how it works in
the city under city regulations. heard of a poor
woman who purchased little home some eighteen
months ago, and few days ago was presented
with an assessment bill of over hundred dollars
for the opening of street four or five years ago,
which was in litigation but settled few months
eiuve. Yours- E,san-- : ?